Railway-car construction



Nov. 19, 1929.

W. C. SLEEMAN RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 11. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet Iliff/Iliff!! o o o vwwtoz Nov. 19, 1929. w. c. SLEEMAN 1,736,292

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. l I 1 1 1 l l i 1 l l 1 l l l 1 l l l l l l 1 1 l I n 1 1 l l l l l 1 l |l .3.lll `|l|| |1|I||||I Patented Nov. 19,1929

t WILLIAM c. -sLlfniMaN, oF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA`V RAILWAY-CAR CONSTRUCTION i Application mea Januaryv 11, 192s. serial No. 245,898.

posite sides of such center lines. A-further aim is to providea sturdy sill construction designed to eliminate numerous sill and dia- 15 phragm connections-required in thel sills of v"the prior art. 7Another aim-is to provide a l center sillhaving a central web and-transJ vers'ely extending flanges whoseupper and lower faces are substantially parallel so as to facilitate fabrication and avoid the complexities of beam connections vwhich result from the use of rolled sections heretofore used in Qailway ear construction in which the flanges are tapered' or inclined on the inner sides. l Other features of my improvement will appear from thel following specification when readin connection with the accompan ing drawings and the invention will be de ned with particularity in the ,appended claims. In the drawingsi Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one end of a railway ca showing a side v1ew of a center sill embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a skeletonto"plan of the sill con struction illustrated in ig. 1;

i 2 is a longitudinal section on line'2- 2a of ig. 2; FFig. 3 is. a cross-section on line 3- 3 of ig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, Figs. 3 and 4 illustrating also a 4portior of `a conventionalform of car body; l Fig. 5 is aNcross-section on line of Fig.

2 with the center brace omitted; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a sill construe` tion similar to that illustrated in the foregoing liguresbut equipped 'with members' for coacting wlth 4a draft rigging employing a `vertical-yoke;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a sill tion equipped with parts for coacting with another type of draft rigging; l' Fi 9 is a' plan view of parts shown i Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a sill construction equipped with parts arranged for coaction with vthe `draft riggings having the socalled vertical yoke attachments;

Fig. 11 is a plan of Fig. 10;

Fig'. 12 isa side-elevation illustrating a modification in which the sill is equipped with Z-sliaped draft sills arranged for coaction with the so-called vertical yoke attachments; 4

Fig. 13 is a plan of Fig. 12; Fig: 14l is a cross-section on line 14-14 of Fig. 13; y

Fig. 15 is a section on line 15--15 of Fig.-13;

Fig. 16 i's a plan view of a ca'st draft member. indicated in Figs. 8 and 9; v

Fig. 17 is a side elevation thereof;

Fi 18 is a longitudinal section on line 18- 18 o Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is an end view of Fig. 18.

Referring in detail to the drawings, l10 represents a conventional form of car body having side walls 12 and suitable flooring 14. The car illustrated is of the box-car type but it is to be understoodfthat the invention construc-v may be applied to various types of freight or passenger cars.

Regardless of the type of car I provide a one-piece center sill indicated as a whole at 16 which is located on'the center line of the car. At each end of the improved center sill I rivet or otherwise secure draft sills 17 and 18 which in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 inl -verse end sill angle member as indicated at 20.

My improved center sill includes a solid rolled substantially H-shaped section compri'sing a web 21 with oppositely extending integral flanges 23-23. i The upper and lower faces of the flanges 23 are substantially parallel with one another.

In other words, the

' flanges are of uniform thickness and not ture may be readily secured thereto without the use of numerous beam connections required-in former constructions. The width of ,the center sill as measured across the flanges is greater than the depth of the sill yet the sill is amply strong to withstand the buiiing stresses to which this class of structure is subjected.

Extendmg laterally fromeach: side of the central web of the draft sill and at spaced intervals along the length of the sill, I provide laterally extending supporting diaphragms 22 which are riveted directly to the web and flanges of-the sill 16 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The wide flanged sill rovides amlple room for accommodation o rivets. In some cases, I also provide connecting plates 24 serving as an additional tie between the diaphragms 22l and the center sill.

.As shown best in Figs. 2 and 5, the draft' sills 17 and 18 are fitted between the upper and lower flanges 23 of the sill. Transverse- 1y extending body lbolster members 25 are riveted to the draft sills and to a suitable center A ,brace member 26 and these members are all secured together by bolster tieplates 28 and 729. The end 23* of the top flangeofthe center sill extends'slightl beyond the body bolster members 25, but'i desired the sill 16 may extend 'the full length of the car by merely l coping out (cutting away) the web of the sill to accommodate the d raft rigging.

The bolster center brace 26 as shown in Fig. 2 is made in one piece and the web (Fig. 1)

. of the sill is cutaway from point 23" to the different t es of draft gear without mate- `point 23"V (Fig. 2") to accommodate the centei brace..l But it will be understood that if desired the bolster brace 26 might vbe made in two separate halves each riveted to an opposite face of the web.n

In the 'construction of Figs. 1 to 7, the strikingfplate 19 and cheek plate-30 and suitable dra gear abutment's are secured to the draft sills 17 and 18. These parts are similar tothe American Railway Association standards and may be varied to-suit requirement of the '11g my -rially modi new sill construction;A

-` Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a sillconstruction Figs. Sand 9, 16, 17, 18 and 19 illustrate a center sill having secured to the end thereof draft sills 35 cast integrally with a bolstercenter brace 26a. In this construction the striking plate 19* is formed with a coupler carrier opening 19h to accommodate the shank of a standard coupler.

In theseveral designs illustrated the usualstandard design of bolster centering plate 34 is riveted to the bolster bottom'tie plate 28 l and coacts with a suitable'member carriedv by the usual car truck. In the constructions of Figs; 8- andl 9, a top cover plate 33 is shown desired, the sills maybe tied together byv al top wall which is integral with the other parts ofl the `sill member 35. In the design riveted to the draft sill members 35, but, if

lust-rated in Figures 1. to 8, standard A. It. A.

cheek plates 30-are shown but it is understood that other draft rigging attachments may be substituted therefor.

In the construction of Figs. 10 and 11, I

have illustrated a draft sill member indicated as a Whole at 36 which is cast integrally with the center brace member 27 a and this casting 36 also has lintegral draft gear lugs 31a and 32aL and an integral striking plate and coupler carrier iron 19C. In this construction the top cover plate 33 is riveted to the casting 36 but if desired the top wall may be integral therewith as will be understood;` Figs. 12'to 15 inclusive illustrate a further alternative construction in which I provide"Z-"shaped draft sills 37 'having oppositely extending flanges 38and 39, the former being riveted to the upperl anges 23 of the center sill and the flanges 39 being riveted to a draft sill connecting plate 40which in turn is riveted to a bolster tie plate 28 secured tothe"v underside of transversely extending bolsten diaphragme 25-Which are riveted as indicated at 25b to the webs of the draftlsills 37. In this .construction I employ a bolster center brace 27 havin vintegral lugs 32 for coaction with the standard ldraft gear having a vertical yoke. I also provide suitable lugs 31 forcoaction lwith such standard draft gear.

From the foregoing it-is apparent .that the car construction described includes a simplified center sill formed of a sturdy one-piece solid rolled section having draft sills secured to the end thereof for accommodating various standard types of dra-ft rigging. While.

not limited thereto I'prefer to build the center sill of a standard-Carnegie wide flanged beam section because such a section possesses )remarkable strength f per unit of weight.

Such a beam is peculiarly well adapted for freight car construction because ofthe great strength which accompanies its comparative-` vly shallow depth. By using a'substantially shallower beam than heretofore in general use, the center-of gravity of the freight car' can be somewhat lower yet'the strength of the sill is -not decreased. A solid rolledbeam of i the type referred to has a further advantage.

that flanges are of substantially uniform I thickness, hence, their upper'and lower faces are substantially parallel. This eliminates thenecessity of making angular lits such as `heretofore required when prior standard forms of structural,members were utilized in the car building art. The use of a single integral sturdy structural member in place of the built-up sill also provides a construction in which certain weaving and other strains to which freight carbodies are subjected will be reduced verv materially. The single integral sill member may in the language of the layman be said to provide a sort of rigid backbone for the entire car structure capable of better resisting peculiar -strains to which car bodies are subjected thanthe builtup and somewhat yielding structures of the prior art. i The width of the sillas measured across the flanges is greater than the vertical depth of the web. Such am'ide flanged section provides ample room for double lines of widely spaced rivets and gives widely separated generous areas for attachment of straight draft sills which need not be bent or offset to accommodatestandard widths of draft gears.

While .I have described certain specific characteristics of the constructions illustrated4 in minute detail, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto since various modifications may be vmade by those skilled in the art without departing v fined in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is 1. A railway car having a center sill comprisinga single solid rolled section, said-section having a central vertically disposed web and laterally extending flanges at the top and bottom thereof, and draft sills secured to said flanges between said anges at vthe ends of said section. Y

2. A railway car having a center sill comfl rising a single solid rolled section, said section having a central vertically disposed web and laterally extending flanges at the top and bottom thereof. and draft sills secured/to said flangesbetween saidflianges at the ends of said section and a center brace secured to the |10 draft sills and center sill.

solid rolled'section having axsingle vertical web Vwith symmetrical top andl bottom flanges, the width'of said sill measured across C3 tween the flanges of the sill and extending in.

thickness, straightv substantially parallel my name.

3. A railway car center sill comprising a said anges being at least equal to the` vertical l substantial parallelism with the projected center line of the center sill.

5. A. railway car center sill comprising a solid rolled section having a single vertical web with symmetrical top and bottom flanges, a center brace secured between said .fianges a body bolster secured'to the latter and to said fia'nges, draft sills secured to said flanges and transverse supporting members secured to the web and flanges of the center sill. 7'5

6. A railway c ar having a center sill comprising a single section having a central vertical web and integral oppositely extending top and bottom flanges of substantially uniform draft members having outwardly extending flanges secured between the fianges of said center sill.

7. A railway car center sill comprising a solid rolled section having a vertical web with symmetrical top and bottom anges, and un bent draft sills secured between the flanges of the sill and extending in substantial parallelism with the projected center line of the ccntel.' Sill. L

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed WILfIAM c. sLEEMgN,

from theinvention as de- 

